A friend and I were chatting in City of Steam the other night and talking about EVE Online. He had played it for several years and linked me the following graphic to explain why I played it for less than one day.

I probably spent a solid 2 hours learning how and practicing to build a roller coaster this weekend. And my coaster still doesn't work! (thank goodness my orangutans are happy as monkeys with frogs).

The learning curve is an interesting aspect of games though. Some games I'll simply abandon if they take too long to figure out, with others it's the frustration and desire for success that keeps me trying again and again.

I've thought about trying EVE again (I played for maybe 3 months a few years ago, but i was still pretty active in an EQ guild with the hubby, so EVE got sidelined). I think I'd have the time to commit now, but I just feel like there'd be too much catching up to do before I could ever be a galactic force to be reckoned with.

I've thought about trying EVE again (I played for maybe 3 months a few years ago, but i was still pretty active in an EQ guild with the hubby, so EVE got sidelined). I think I'd have the time to commit now, but I just feel like there'd be too much catching up to do before I could ever be a galactic force to be reckoned with.

The game is structured so that this isn't the case.

It'll take about a month of training to get a pilot to the point where they can be competitive while flying a specific race's frigates.

The way the game works is that every skill has 5 levels, with each level taking far more than the previous to train (and level 5 takes the same as 1-4 combined). But it's a linear progression in terms of value. So new pilots actually get the most bang for the buck when it comes to training with regards to time.

For instance, it might take 30 minutes to train a skill to level 1, and that skill might give you +2% reload speed with guns. Training it to level 4 won't take you TOO long, and that'll get you +6% reload speed.

The veteran pilot is going to have that skill at 5, sure. But that's also only 2% faster reload.

Getting all the core skills for tier 1 frigate piloting to 3-5 is doable in a month. And because all ship types are relevant in EVE, you get to be competitive pretty much right away.

Frigates, for the record, are great for fighting other frigates and for suppressing larger ships (whose guns will be too hit them at frigate speeds). So you'll be welcome in any team fighting environment.

And if you're interested in early PVP, Red vs. Blue is extremely newbie friendly. They'll help get you all the valuable early skills, teach you, answer questions, get you a stock of frigates to go out and lose, and they often have theme weekends where everyone flies T1 frigates, to help level the playing field.

And they also have some extremely strict rules regarding PVP conduct to make it accessible. Absolutely no podding of RvB members is tolerated, so you don't have to worry about losing your clone. You don't get LOL-style trash talk (though that's generally true in EVE - trash talk isn't all that common. You're just as likely to compliment someone who ganked you for their success as you are to say nice flying to someone you dueled).

It's also the kind of corp that isn't looking for destruction at all times. If someone is flying something that could easily destroy you, and you aren't part of a team fight, they'll probably just ignore you. They're all there looking to have fun losing ships, which usually means at least some challenge.

I probably spent a solid 2 hours learning how and practicing to build a roller coaster this weekend. And my coaster still doesn't work! (thank goodness my orangutans are happy as monkeys with frogs).

Noob.

All the cool people build them completely from scratch every time, customized to match their parks theme and layout, in less than 5 minutes, with one arm tied behind their back, and their eyes closed.

I've grown to like the easier games myself. Problem with something that has some kind of learning curve to play is that I actually have to pay attention while playing it. This means the kids have a chance to get themselves into all kids of trouble. I'd finish some boss fight only to find one in tears because she got yogurt in her hair, on her blankie, and everywhere in-between while the other is screaming madly that she has to use the potty. If a game can't be beaten with two toddlers climbing all over you fighting over who gets to sit on your lap, it probably shouldn't be attempted.

Maybe I'll pickup EVE in another 10 years once they're both into a stage where they hate my guts.

I've thought about trying EVE again (I played for maybe 3 months a few years ago, but i was still pretty active in an EQ guild with the hubby, so EVE got sidelined). I think I'd have the time to commit now, but I just feel like there'd be too much catching up to do before I could ever be a galactic force to be reckoned with.

The game is structured so that this isn't the case.

It'll take about a month of training to get a pilot to the point where they can be competitive while flying a specific race's frigates.

The way the game works is that every skill has 5 levels, with each level taking far more than the previous to train (and level 5 takes the same as 1-4 combined). But it's a linear progression in terms of value. So new pilots actually get the most bang for the buck when it comes to training with regards to time.

For instance, it might take 30 minutes to train a skill to level 1, and that skill might give you +2% reload speed with guns. Training it to level 4 won't take you TOO long, and that'll get you +6% reload speed.

The veteran pilot is going to have that skill at 5, sure. But that's also only 2% faster reload.

Getting all the core skills for tier 1 frigate piloting to 3-5 is doable in a month. And because all ship types are relevant in EVE, you get to be competitive pretty much right away.

Frigates, for the record, are great for fighting other frigates and for suppressing larger ships (whose guns will be too hit them at frigate speeds). So you'll be welcome in any team fighting environment.

And if you're interested in early PVP, Red vs. Blue is extremely newbie friendly. They'll help get you all the valuable early skills, teach you, answer questions, get you a stock of frigates to go out and lose, and they often have theme weekends where everyone flies T1 frigates, to help level the playing field.

And they also have some extremely strict rules regarding PVP conduct to make it accessible. Absolutely no podding of RvB members is tolerated, so you don't have to worry about losing your clone. You don't get LOL-style trash talk (though that's generally true in EVE - trash talk isn't all that common. You're just as likely to compliment someone who ganked you for their success as you are to say nice flying to someone you dueled).

It's also the kind of corp that isn't looking for destruction at all times. If someone is flying something that could easily destroy you, and you aren't part of a team fight, they'll probably just ignore you. They're all there looking to have fun losing ships, which usually means at least some challenge.

You can join either side - both are great and helpful.

Yeah, I could probably find my old account. My pilot had trained a bunch of stuff already and I had an ok ship. Are the RvB rules new? I don't recall there being any strict rules about pvp.

I probably spent a solid 2 hours learning how and practicing to build a roller coaster this weekend. And my coaster still doesn't work! (thank goodness my orangutans are happy as monkeys with frogs).

Noob.

All the cool people build them completely from scratch every time, customized to match their parks theme and layout, in less than 5 minutes, with one arm tied behind their back, and their eyes closed.

I've grown to like the easier games myself. Problem with something that has some kind of learning curve to play is that I actually have to pay attention while playing it. This means the kids have a chance to get themselves into all kids of trouble. I'd finish some boss fight only to find one in tears because she got yogurt in her hair, on her blankie, and everywhere in-between while the other is screaming madly that she has to use the potty. If a game can't be beaten with two toddlers climbing all over you fighting over who gets to sit on your lap, it probably shouldn't be attempted.

Inorite. Last night when I was attempting to build a coaster I failed to pay attention to what my husband was doing. He went and froze all my blueberries. I'd picked about 4lbs of blueberries yesterday. I went to toss a handful on my granola this morning and the whole darn flat had disappeared into freezer bags - one frozen cupful at a time.

Inorite. Last night when I was attempting to build a coaster I failed to pay attention to what my husband was doing. He went and froze all my blueberries. I'd picked about 4lbs of blueberries yesterday. I went to toss a handful on my granola this morning and the whole darn flat had disappeared into freezer bags - one frozen cupful at a time.

Do blueberries even freeze that well? For some reason I remember them getting all mushy and stuff, but that could just be me. I suppose that really isn't all that bad considering. We usually make jam with ours.

They freeze nicely for later use in baking and compotes and jams and stuff. They're no good for just eating like in a fruit salad once they thaw as they get mushy.

Quick freeze them first all spread out on a cookie sheet. Once they're hard, toss them in a freezer bag. We have one of them vacuum-sealers so I use that now but it still requires pre-freezing. They're actually pretty good snacking material when they're still frozen though (if your teeth can handle it).

I freeze blueberries all the time. Wash them, dry them, spread them out on a cookie sheet, freeze. Once hard transfer to a freezer bag. Same as mentioned above. I have two gallon bags in the freezer right now with blueberries picked two weeks ago.

But I just eat them frozen. Pull out a small bowl and chow down. When I was a kid I used to pour a little milk over the frozen berries and eat with a spoon, the milk would freeze pretty much instantly and it was like a light ice cream.

When I was a kid I used to pour a little milk over the frozen berries and eat with a spoon, the milk would freeze pretty much instantly and it was like a light ice cream.

That sounds awesome, going to have to give that a try sometime. Blueberry buckle I remember coming from frozen berries at one point I want to say. Blueberry milkshakes too, could even just take the juice as they thawed and poor it in.

I've thought about trying EVE again (I played for maybe 3 months a few years ago, but i was still pretty active in an EQ guild with the hubby, so EVE got sidelined). I think I'd have the time to commit now, but I just feel like there'd be too much catching up to do before I could ever be a galactic force to be reckoned with.

The game is structured so that this isn't the case.

It'll take about a month of training to get a pilot to the point where they can be competitive while flying a specific race's frigates.

The way the game works is that every skill has 5 levels, with each level taking far more than the previous to train (and level 5 takes the same as 1-4 combined). But it's a linear progression in terms of value. So new pilots actually get the most bang for the buck when it comes to training with regards to time.

For instance, it might take 30 minutes to train a skill to level 1, and that skill might give you +2% reload speed with guns. Training it to level 4 won't take you TOO long, and that'll get you +6% reload speed.

The veteran pilot is going to have that skill at 5, sure. But that's also only 2% faster reload.

Getting all the core skills for tier 1 frigate piloting to 3-5 is doable in a month. And because all ship types are relevant in EVE, you get to be competitive pretty much right away.

Frigates, for the record, are great for fighting other frigates and for suppressing larger ships (whose guns will be too hit them at frigate speeds). So you'll be welcome in any team fighting environment.

And if you're interested in early PVP, Red vs. Blue is extremely newbie friendly. They'll help get you all the valuable early skills, teach you, answer questions, get you a stock of frigates to go out and lose, and they often have theme weekends where everyone flies T1 frigates, to help level the playing field.

And they also have some extremely strict rules regarding PVP conduct to make it accessible. Absolutely no podding of RvB members is tolerated, so you don't have to worry about losing your clone. You don't get LOL-style trash talk (though that's generally true in EVE - trash talk isn't all that common. You're just as likely to compliment someone who ganked you for their success as you are to say nice flying to someone you dueled).

It's also the kind of corp that isn't looking for destruction at all times. If someone is flying something that could easily destroy you, and you aren't part of a team fight, they'll probably just ignore you. They're all there looking to have fun losing ships, which usually means at least some challenge.

You can join either side - both are great and helpful.

Yeah, I could probably find my old account. My pilot had trained a bunch of stuff already and I had an ok ship. Are the RvB rules new? I don't recall there being any strict rules about pvp.

RvB I think has always had no podding of Red Federation or Blue Republic members. However Podding other targets outside RvB is fine. Although I think they primarily stay in highsec so I think you will be killed by the space cops if you kill pods in highsec. Regardless of wardec or not. (although I may be wrong, I haven't been allowed in highsec for about 3 years)

Other than that the main rules depend where you go, most operate under NBSI (not blue shoot it), esentially anyone outside Corp/Alliance is enemy some have NRDS (not red don't shoot) only targets set red by corp/alliance, and some even have NPSI (not purple shoot it) anyone not in fleet (meaning you can shoot your own corp alliance if you so wish.)

RvB is a good place if you want to get an understanding of the PVP stuff. EVE-UNI is a good place if you want to get an understanding of lots of stuff (PVE/Industry)

Oh and if you get yourself into a stealth bomber, try Bombers Bar (chat channel) they do lots of fun stuff in bombers.

There are lots of different online RPG games out there and picking one that suits your need can be a daunting task if you are new to the MMORPG scene. In this article I will give you a brief overview of some of the more popular games, these will be categorized to reflect playing styles.

There are lots of different online RPG games out there and picking one that suits your need can be a daunting task if you are new to the MMORPG scene. In this article I will give you a brief overview of some of the more popular games, these will be categorized to reflect playing styles.